Kiwi Project

The Rimutaka Forest Park Kiwi Project is now in its 8th year with a trapping and
tracking volunteer base of over 70. The initial goal was to move a group
(about 10 birds initially, in pairs) of North Island Brown kiwi from
captivity in other locations nationwide to a 1000 hectare,
predator-controlled site in the Park to establish a viable,
self-sustaining Kiwi population.

Following our successful adult kiwi translocation from Little
Barrier Island in April 2008, when 20 additional Brown
Kiwi were added to our growing population, the number of adult
and juvenile kiwi roaming the Turere and Whakanui Valleys has now reached
about 100, with
at least 5 chicks hatched recently in the Park itself and a few chicks hatched from eggs laid by our kiwi from earlier releases
at Pukaha Mt Bruce. These birds will eventually be returned to the Park.

Now more than half the birds in the Rimutaka Forest Park have been
born and raised in the Park!

Two of the older birds from the original release (Koniwi and Milo) subsequently died of natural causes, but
many new chicks have been
successfully hatched from eggs laid and incubated by four of our
founding population of kiwi pairs and several other of the translocated
Little Barrier Island pairs.

At least four birds, Fern, Billy, Otautahi and Waikiwianui, were savaged and killed by dogs.

Despite the losses to dogs, the Turere release area has proved to be an excellent foraging and
breeding habitat for kiwi survival!

The initial (stoat trapped) Turere catchment release area was over 1000 ha in size, the
minimum considered necessary for a self-sustaining population of brown
kiwi.

Additional trap lines have since been extended into large areas of native
bush bordering the original release area, providing plenty of space for
the inevitable dispersal of our birds as the population increases. The
trapped areas now extend over 3000 hectares.

The humane Doc 200 and 250 kill traps are checked fortnightly in the
summer and monthly in the winter. Peak season for stoat population is Jan/Feb when the kits are
leaving the nest and dispersing.

While fully grown brown kiwi (birds over 1200 grams) are capable of defending themselves
against attack by stoats, their eggs and young chicks are vulnerable.

A robust predator control regime that includes the boundary buffer and internal
stoat trapping programme, along with continued monitoring of the brown
kiwi population, will minimise the threat to young kiwi.

Because there is a problem with rabbits and hares in the Catchpool
Valley and Orongorongo Valley, we have a grave fear that eventually we
will be visited by ferrets - which are much larger and even deadlier to
adult kiwi and chicks than stoats, so we have recently deployed some
larger (DoC 250) ferret traps as well.

If you would like to Sponsor a Trap and
help save our Kiwis and their progeny in the future, please click
here!

The Kiwi Project has the support of so many people...

The Rimutaka Forest Park Trust Kiwi Project has certainly captivated the
hearts and minds of a very broad cross section of our local community,
schools
and iwi!
Additionally, we have enjoyed substantial support and encouragement from
The Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Programme, The Department of
Conservation (DoC), Microsoft, Pub Charities, Hutt Mana Trust, The Wainuiomata Marae, The Wainuiomata Development
Committee, Wellington Community Trust, Forest and Bird Society of NZ and many, many others.

Manaia's egg is seen here in her burrow before removal for
further incubation and hatching at Mt Bruce